SMALL BOAT REVIEW
The Trinka 12 has quite a pedigree. Bruce Kirby was the designer. He of Laser fame designed 60 boats over his career. The Trinka 12 was designed to be the “Queen of the fleet” among the Trinka line of yacht dinghies that included an eight- and ten-footer.
The Trinka mast is two-part. Simply push them together. The mast foot is on a pivot attached to the double bottom up forward. So, just pry it up while the shrouds are attached, fasten the forestay, attach the boom and you are ready for the sail.
Trinka 12 Yacht Dinghy By Dave Ellis
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here she was, full of rainwater and leaves, sails in the bilge, all by itself shelved in the corner of the Eckerd College boat yard. I had made my usual pilgrimage to the college’s annual sale of boats and equipment that helps fund their renowned search and rescue operation. After all, I had been rescued by that fine group when I got separated from my Suicide racing dinghy some years ago. This little 12-footer looked familiar. Yes, it was a Trinka 12. I made an offer for it that was a bit less than they may have gotten if it had sold at auction the next day and a little more than I wanted to spend. After getting it on my yard brush trailer and dragging it home, I saw quickly that I had gotten a bargain. With some soap and bleach water on the hull, foils, spars and sails, lo and behold there was a treasure. Teak seats and trim needed care, but it was real and thick and well fashioned. I added a bowsprit and a small jib and sailed it all over our arm of Tampa Bay. The jib did not seem to make a difference in speed and caused a lee helm. Finally, since I usually sail racing sailboats, Trinka #9 was sold to a sailor on the Gulf coast who had just completed a restoration of a vintage race car and needed a project. Wonder what that boat looks like today? Wow. The Trinka 12 has quite a pedigree. Bruce Kirby was the designer. He of Laser fame designed 60 boats over his career. The Trinka 12 was designed to be the “Queen of the
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February 2015
SOUTHWINDS
fleet” among the Trinka line of yacht dinghies that included an eight- and ten-footer. So, if you need a yacht tender for your 65-foot yacht, this is the fancy vessel of choice. Just use the transom davits to lift it, store the two-part mast inside the hull, kick up the rudder and lay the dagger board and sails inside. Put a nice cover over it and take off. Actually, this is a true purpose with the Trinka 12. My #9 was traced to a donation to Eckerd as part of an estate. It had been a tender to a large motor yacht in Newport, RI. A couple of years ago, I delivered behind my truck a Trinka 12 to Newport Beach, CA. It seems that a 65-foot motor yacht was being prepared for a trip to Hawaii. He had a brand new Trinka 12 and it was time to raise it way up there while the boat was in the yard getting final touches. Well, there was a flaw in the lifting bridle, all three points came loose and the boat dropped to the concrete 12 feet below. It hit bow first, then bounced back to crunch the rudder. I was delivering the replacement boat. Amazingly, I had to look hard to see any damage on the fallen boat. Other than the rudder, of course. That boat is now in service back in Florida with only a slight discoloration in the bow area gelcoat. One tough vessel. This should not be a big surprise as the sole builder is Johannsen Boat Works of Vero Beach, FL. Mark Johannsen fashions each Trinka 8, 10, 12, Raider Turbo and Windmill strictly on order, one at a time with help from one trusted www.southwindsmagazine.com